Cushioning attachment for safety devices



June 5, 1962 P. A. GRING, JR

CUSHIONING ATTACHMENT FOR SAFETY DEVICES Filed Dec. 15, 1958 INVENTOR. Pqul A.Gring,Jn

nited ates 3,037,313 CUSHIONING ATTACHMENT FOR SAFETY DEVICES Paul A. Gring, Jr., Reading, Pa., assignor to The Electric Storage Battery Company, Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Dec. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 780,386 1 Claim. (CI. 4274) This invention relates generally to industrial safety devices and, more particularly, it relates to a fluid-filled cushion attachment for such devices in order to provide comfort in wear.

An outstanding disadvantage of most industrial safety devices is that when they are worn for appreciable periods of time they cause a great deal of discomfort and tend to encourage the workman to discard the safety devices and expose himself to dangerous conditions.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel cushion attachment for industrial safety devices which eliminates the above-mentioned disadvantages and which will provide an amazing degree of comfort so as to enable wear of such safety devices for very long periods of time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid-filled cushion attachment which is readily and easily detachable or attachable to safety devices and the like and which engages the face of the wearer in a manner so as to provide not only a comfortable but a dust-tight fit.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top or plan view of a welding helmet suspension including a fluid-filled attachment embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top or plan view of a pair of goggles of the one-piece lens type equipped with a fluid-filled attachment;

FIG. 4 is a front or elevational view of the goggles as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top or plan view of an abrasive blasting helmet provided with a fluidfilled cushion according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line VIIVII of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross-section, of a fluid-filled cushion attached to the butt of a rifle or shotgun.

Referring more particulraly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing which shows a suspension for safety hats or welding helmets, numeral 1 denotes a headband of plastic or other suitable material on diametrically opposite portions of which are connected the ends of a crown strap 2 of similar material. The end portions of the headband are in overlapping relationship and the extent of overlap and circumference of the headband may be varied by turning an adjusting screw 3 threadedly connected to spaced slots in the headband end portions as described in detail in Holfmaster US. Patent 2,747,191. The front portion of the headband is encircled by a fluid-filled cushion 4 of plastic or other suitable flexible material which has integrally molded portions or extensions 4b which are folded over the top and bottom edge of the headband 1 and can be heat-sealed thereto. The rear portion of the headband is surrounded by a tubular element of plastic material about which cushion 4a and its extensions are wrapped and heat sealed.

The fluid-filled cushions 4 and 4a are only partially 3,337,313 Patented June 5, 1962 filled with fluid, that is to say, less than half of their volume is filled with fluid. The fluid may be either air or, preferably, a liquid, such as a mixture of water and glycerine wherein the glycerine comprises from 30 to 70% of the weight of the mixture. Thus the front cushion 4 and rear cushion 4:: will contact the forward and the rear portions of the head, respectively, and will conform to the shape of the contacting portions of the head and provide a highly cushioned and comfortable fit so as to enable wearing of the headband suspension for long periods of time without fatigue.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a pair of goggles of the single plastic lens type, comprising a rim portion 5, preferably of plastic material, such as transparent plastic material, and which is attached to the head by means of strap 6. The one-piece lens portion 8 has a nose surrounding projection 8a. The rim 5 is provided, on its peripheral edge, with a fluid-filled cushion attachment which is shown more clearly in FIG. 5, comprising a tubular element 7 of flexible plastic material, such as vinyl plastic, provided with an integral extension 7a which can be heat-sealed or otherwise fastened to the peripheral edge portion of the rim 5 so as to form a very comfortable contacting fit with the fore head of the wearer.

FIG. 6 shows an abrasive blasting helmet 10 of conventional type which is provided with a fluid-filled liner attachment 11 having integral portions 11a which are heat-sealed or otherwise fastened to the edge portions of helmet 10 in a manner shown more clearly in FIG. 7 for providing a cushioned support on the shoulders of the wearer.

FIG. 8 shows the butt 12 of a rifle or shotgun, onto the end of which is detachably mounted, a fluid-filled cushion 13 which is provided with a pair of integral extensions 13a, in which extensions is sealed or sandwiched an O ring or band 14 of elastic material, such as rubber, so that by heat sealing together the edges of the two extensions, the rubber band 14 is completely encased or sealed within the extensions 13a.

It will be readily apparent that liner 13, which may be filled either with air, or preferably a liquid, such as described above, may be quickly attached to or detached from the butt end of the rifle 12 to provide comfort and reduce shock of recoil when the butt is held against the arm, such as when aiming and firing the rifle. It will be apparent that the type of attachment, that is, one with the rubber band 14 as shown in FIG. 8, may be substituted for the more permanent types of attachments shown in the above described figures.

Thus it will be seen that the present invention provides a highly etficient, fluid-filled liner or attachment which is easily attached to or detached from a safety protective device and which provides a great deal of comfort in wear so as to enable the device to be worn for long periods of time without fatigue of the wearer; furthermore there is provided a fluid-filled liner which very readily adapts itself to the curvature of the face or head portions of the wearer and which will provide not only a very comfortable fit, but a dust-tight fit to exclude dust and noxious vapors or fumes from the interior of safety devices, such as goggles, and the like.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these are by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A cushioning liner for attachment to the butt end of a rifle, comprising a flexible tube of plastic material partially filled with a fluid, hermetically sealed therein, and having an integral extension in the form of two annular sheets heat sealed at their perimeters and including an elastic band between said sheets, said extension being of oval shape such as to conform to the edge of said butt end of the rifle to provide a yieldable, detachableoonnection for said liner, whereby a cushioned fit is provided with 5 the arm pit of the rifleman.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Byron Apr. 8, 1924 10 Meyrowitz Dec. 31, 1929 

